Mechanism for propelling cars



( No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 1. E. E. MILLER. MECHANISM FOR PROBELLING CARS.

Patented June '21 ATTORNEY.

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' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. E. MILLER. MECHANISM FOR PROPELLING CARS.

. No. 477,260. Patented June 21,1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. MILLER, OF CANTON, OHIO.

MECHANISM FOR PROP ELLING C ARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,260, dated June 21, 1892.

Application filed February 8, 1892. Serial No. 420,677. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Canton, county of Stark, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mechanism for Propelling Street Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved mechanism for propelling street-cars; and it consists of certain features of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawingsis a view in perspective, partly sectional, from rear of car-wheel, showing one method of applying my invention to a street-car. Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3, a perspective of detail, showing the connection of the driving-belt with the driving head or slide; Fig. 4, a side elevation, partly sectional, showing the location of the parts and the detail of the drivingratchets and the parts at the central portion of the working-beam. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the central portion of the ratchet; Fig. 6, a side elevation of coilspring by which the ratchet is reversed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts-in all of the figures of the drawings.

A represents the platform of a street-car, on which is placed central thereto a standard or column B, which may be made of any suitable meterial, said column having at its upper portion a vertical aperture a, at the bottom of which is provided a journal-box b and at its top portion a journal-box c. A working beam 0 is provided, of the form substantially as shown, having through its longitudinal central portion an elongated aperture (Z, in which is provided slides c, and at its lower middle portion a shaft f, as shown in Fig. 4, at the end portion of which is provided journals g, that serve as trunnions, that are placed in the journal-boxes b to support and over which the beam 0 is vibrated. In the aperture dis placed a slide D, on which is provided an inwardly-extended arm h, having teeth i, adapted to engage corresponding teeth j on a pinion E. (See Fig. 2.) Said pinion is mounted on a vertical shaft 70, which is journaled in the working beam, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. At the upper end of shaft It is provided a universal coupling of a wellknown form, to which is coupled an intermediate link Z, the upper epd of which is in a similar manner coupled to an actuating-shaft m, which is journaled in box 0 at the top of the column, and on the upper end of shaft Z is mounted a hand-wheel F. An arm G is projected from the end of the beam 0, in which is provided an elongated aperture n.

For the purpose of this specification-I have simply shown the rudiments of a steam or compressed-air engine, which may be of any of the well-known and approved direct-acting engines now in use, H representing the cylinder, L the piston-head, and J the pistonrod, the upper end of which is supported in a slide 0, supported by an arm 19. A pin, as q, is secured to the piston-rod J, having thereon a slide that is adapted to engage the upper and lower faces of the aperture n and to slide therein to accommodate the circular or arc movement of the arm G to the vertical movement of piston-rod J.

On the car-axle K is placed a ratchet-wheel L, of a well-known form, and is substantially the same as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, in which Fig. 4 is a side elevation, Fig. 5 a transverse section, and Fig.6 a side elevation, showing the recoiling-spring.

To the ratchet-wheel L is secured one end of the driving strap or belt M, the other end of which is secured to the slide D, and to provide for a turn from a horizontal to a "ertical position rolls N are placed in advance of the axle K, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, about which the strap M is passed. When it is preferred, the beam 0 and cylinder H may be located under the foot-board or platform A, in which case the rollers N would not be required.

In operation the piston I in the cylinder II is reciprocated by either steam or compressed air or other mechanical energy, which movement will oscillate the beam 0 about its pivotal connection with the column and in so moving will alternately draw and release the straps M, the upward movement of the beam C tending to draw the strap forward to rotate the ratchet-wheel and axle over and forward to advance the car, the downward movement to slack the strap, which will be rewound about the ratchet by the reverse movement given to the ratchet-wheel by the coil-spring shown in Fig. 6.

To stop or vary the speed of the car, the wheel F is turned to rotate the pinion E, by which the arms h and slides D are moved to or from the central portion of the working beam and with them the ends of the straps M, by which the movement of the strap is increased or decreased and thereby a more or less forward rotary movement given to the ratchet-wheel and axle, and thereby a greater movement of the engine. NVhen itis desired to stop or arrest the forward movement of the car, the slides D are drawn to the center of the beam 0, at which point the forward movement of the strap will be less than that required to engage the ratchet with the axle.

The link or coupling-shaft Z, by which the shafts 7c and mare connected, formsa flexible or yielding connection between the shafts mentioned to provide for the lateral movement of the shaft 70, caused by the rocking movement of the beam C.

Having thus fully described the nature and the object of my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a mechanism for propelling tramway-cars, of the working beam having an elongated aperture, as d, slides having a geared connection with a central pinion by which the slides may be moved to or from the central portion of the working beam, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the beam 0, having a toothed pinion centrally located thereon, slides having toothed arms to engage said pinion, a flexible connection between the pinion-shaft and the hand-Wheel by which the slides may be moved on said beam, a strap connecting the said slides with ratchet-wheels on the car-axle, and means for vibrating the beam to rotate said axle, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth. or less speed to the car, without varying the 3. The combination, with the beam 0, of the arm G, elongated aperture n, slide g, and piston J, when operated substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the beam C, having a toothed pinion centrally located thereon, slides D, having toothed arms h to engage said pinion, a flexible connection between the pinion-shaft and the hand-wheel F, straps M to connect the slides D with ratchet-wheels L on the axle K, and the intermediate rollers N, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of February, A. D. 1892,

ELMER MILLER. \Vitnesses:

W. K. MILLER, CHAS. R. MILLER. 

